Designing Accelerated Learning in a Post-Secondary Context

The way we work

To ensure the physical space would enable participants to deeply engage, we pre-allocated teams, set up the working areas, and used elements of sound design for both the work tempo and marking transitions between segments.

Teams were required to assign specific roles, some of which received separate briefing on responsibilities.

No formal breaks were provided and participants were asked to manage their needs within the constraints and deliverables of the workshop.

The challenge

Participants were required to develop their Challenge and then Solution as part of the Challenge Based Learning framework, ‘pitching’ back to the wider group at each stage.

Following each ‘pitch’ we took the opportunity to connect the work they had just completed with the framework, immediately relating their experience with the wider scope and application.

The below infographic provides a timeline of the session with key elements of the approach.

Our reflection

Designing experiential learning experiences that impart understanding and confidence in the context and approach, while providing additional resources for participants to self-direct learning beyond the session delivers a significant return on participant [time] investment.

This approach creates high energy, highly focused contact time and digital collaboration tools leveraged within the workshop enable the dialogue to continue beyond the session.

Undoubtedly the challenge we were originally presented and the workshop delivered represent a prototype for ‘the future of learning’ and we are very excited to continue testing and evolving.